News Releases

July 18, 2014

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ASSIST AREA CHILDREN WITH SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 18, 2014 – Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with Books-A-Million Inc., nine Directions Credit Union branches, two Great Lakes Credit Union branches and five Genoa Bank branches are reaching out to area children in need of school supplies by holding a month-long “Backpack to the Future” school supply drive ending Monday, Aug. 18. Collected items will benefit low-income kindergarten-age school children throughout Northwest Ohio.

The 17 community locations expand the College’s educational initiative for individuals to drop off their donations. Among the charitable items that will be accepted as part of the school supply drive are gently-used or new backpacks, crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marbled covered composition books and Kleenex tissues.

According to Kaye Koevenig, community service chair, Owens Alumni Association, the Northwest Ohio community’s initial response toward the “Backpack to the Future” supply drive has been positive.

“Owens’ ‘Backpack to the Future’ school supply drive initiative has expanded efforts thanks to the support of Books-A-Million, Directions Credit Union, Genoa Bank and Great Lakes Credit Union,” she said. “I encourage area residents to lend a helping hand to those children who are in need of school supplies.”

Since establishing the program in 2004, the Owens Alumni Association has given 3,410 backpacks and 62,370 school supplies to benefit disadvantaged children throughout Northwest Ohio.

Owen’s Alumni Association is committed to the personal and professional success of alumni and students through the ongoing development of value-added initiatives. Owens has provided higher education to more than 250,000 students in its nearly 50-year history.

In addition to the community supply drive locations; area residents can bring their charitable donations to the College’s Office of Alumni Relations on the Toledo-area Campus in Perrysburg Township, the Education Center Atrium on the Findlay-area Campus in Findlay and the Learning Center in Maumee.

Or more information about the school supply drive, or to make a donation, contact the Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876 or alumni@owens.edu.